Rangers Make Statement With Latest Series Win

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PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 21: Manager Jeff Banister #28 of the Texas Rangers watches from the dugout during the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on April 21, 2015 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The Texas Rangers entered Sunday's series finale in Kansas City having already won their sixth straight series after winning the first two games over the defending AL champion Royals.

But the five before that had been tough to buy from a Rangers fan perspective, a group of people still trying to feel this team out and figure out if they're legit or just riding a hot streak at the moment. Those five series wins came against the New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox (twice), the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago White Sox. Of that group, only the Yankees have a winning record and did at the time of the Rangers taking a series against them.

Now, they've taken a series on the road against the defending AL champs, who, despite their rough stretch at the moment, are one of the few really good teams in the seemingly wide-open American League.

They didn't lose in embarrassing fashion on Sunday, either. They were down 3-0 and, in true fighter's fashion, scored three runs in the seventh to tie the game before eventually giving up an eventual game-winning homer in the eighth.

It was an encouraging weekend in Kansas City to see the Rangers go toe-to-toe with a winning team — one of the best in the league, actually — and take a series from them on their home turf. This team appears to be for real, and whether they play in October or not, it appears it's going to be a fun summer in Arlington after a forgettable one a year ago.